1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the general field of electrical penetrators, and particularly to one utilized in a high differential pressure environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical penetrators are utilized for making electrical connection from one side of a bulkhead to another. The bulkhead may represent a panel, a wall or an enclosed vessel, by way of example.
A typical electrical penetrator includes a penetrator body having a central aperture with an electrically conducting pin member centrally maintained within the aperture by means of some sort of a potting or encapsulating material. Some encapsulating materials such as rubber are relatively soft so as to maintain an hermetic seal between opposite sides of the bulkhead. Other encapsulating materials include the use of relatively hard epoxy resins and in many instances, the electrically conducting pin member includes one or more grooves so as to present a better gripping surface for the epoxy.
When utilized in an environment wherein a differential pressure exists across the bulkhead, the rubber encapsulating material has a tendency to extrude, eventually resulting in the loss of the hermetic seal. The epoxy encapsulating material is sufficient for some differential pressures, however, if the differential pressure is extreme, such as may be experienced at great ocean depths, the axial force on the central pin member is translated to a shear force on the encapsulating material which is relatively weak in shear, and the arrangement is subject to loss of hermetic seal and even possible loss of the pin.
The present arrangement provides for a pin structure which can be utilized in extremely high differential pressure environments and which will maintain a hermetic seal even under conditions which would tend to move the electrically conducting pin member.